Updated: Wednesday, 10th March, 2010 4:58pm

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Band of brothers to the rescue for Meath

by Fergal Lynch

Meath 1-12, Westmeath 2-8

Nigel Crawford and Mark Ward challenge for possession during Saturday night's NFL Div 2 game against Westmeath at Pairc Tailteann.

Don't be deceived by the joy of Saturday's victory over neighbours Westmeath because this NFL Div 2 win was achieved by the skin of the teeth as Stephen Bray rescued Meath with a stunning point in the final action of a dire contest at Pairc Tailteann.

With just a minute of the regulation 70 remaining Westmeath were ahead by a point, having trailed by six on two occasions in the first-half.

Brendan Hackett's rank outsiders suddenly looked odds-on to win as Meath imploded.

However, the Bray brothers came to the Royal rescue as firstly David restored parity with his fifth point before Stephen sealed the dramatic win with a spectacular effort to break Westmeath hearts.

After going 35 years without a competitive win over Meath, Westmeath finally broke their duck in 2008 and on Saturday night they looked like making it two wins in a row over their neighbours until the Bray's late intervention.

Meath once again mixed the sublime with the deplorable. During the opening 11 minutes Eamonn O'Brien's side looked awesome as they destroyed a dreadful Westmeath side to open up a 1-3 to 0-0 lead. Then came the now familiar collapse.

There is worrying evidence throughout this league campaign that Meath are not capable of sustaining pressure and delivering a knock-out blow. Westmeath should not have been at the races when the second-half started, but Meath wasted chance after chance.

While patches of the first-half were from the top drawer, the vast majority of the second-half was awful. Defence was almost non-existent and if Westmeath had taken even half the chances that were presented to them then Meath would have been on the receiving end of a hiding.

Despite the dreadful second-half display, Meath still managed to walk away with their NFL Div 2 promotion hopes intact. It is claimed that the sign of a great team is one that can play poorly and still win.

Individually it is hard to criticise any player. All played their part and enjoyed moments of superiority, but as a collective unit the nature of the display will force the team to examine their shortcomings and rectify those failings before the bigger tests are tackled.

The defensive display was shocking. Westmeath frequently got in behind the Meath rearguard with centre-back Michael Ennis running riot when deployed at centre-forward for the second-half.

Around midfield the breaks were missed and when decent attacks were strung together they either broke down too easily, were gathered by Gary Connaughton or fired wide. Meath kicked 14 off target, Westmeath managed 10.

There were very few positives for O'Brien to take from the win. Two points in the bag is an obvious plus and a decent performance from Anthony Moyles, but it was the exceptional display of David and Stephen Bray that ensured Meath won.

The brothers returned nine points between them, eight from play, and were a constant menace for the Westmeath rearguard.

However, the quality of ball into the forward line was so poor that Meath once again went long periods without troubling the scoreboard operator.

After Meath went six points clear in the opening 11 minutes they then went 15 minutes without a score, kicking six wides in that period. They did finish the half strongly, but it took 11 minutes before they opened their second-half account.

After eventually getting off the mark with a Stephen Bray point in the second period it took another 13 minutes before David Bray registered a second of the half and a further 10 minutes before they got off the mark again.

Such prolonged periods without scores almost cost Meath dearly. If Westmeath had taken a great goal chance which David Lyons did well to prevent 10 minutes from the end or Paul Bannon had converted a simple free two minutes into injury-time, Meath would be pondering their second successive league loss.

Meath were expected to win easily and the anticipated procession got underway as early as the fourth minute when Joe Sheridan received an exquisite pass from Stephen Bray before turning Kieran Gavin and burying the ball in the net.

Over the course of the following seven minutes Jamie Queeney landed two frees and David Bray also found the target as Meath opened that six-point lead.

Westmeath looked woeful, but despite dominating possession and territory the hosts struggled to find their range as they kicked six wides before registering again in the 27th minute.

While Meath were missing their chances Westmeath capitalised. Paul Bannon expertly tucked away a penalty after Niall McKeigue fouled Paul Greville. Bannon then kicked a superb point a minute later as Westmeath moved back into contention.

Meath found their scoring boots again with Stephen Bray knocking over twice to open up a 1-5 to 1-1 lead. Play was held up for five minutes following a neck injury to David Duffy, but when the action resumed points for David Bray (two) and Seamus Kenny boosted Meath to a 1-8 to 1-2 interval lead.

Greville gave Westmeath hope with the first two scores of the second-half, but after much hesitancy Stephen Bray settled Meath with a great score. Instead of pulling away, Meath faded.

Bannon (free) and Philip Gilsenan closed the gap to three points before Ennis ghosted in for a fine goal to restore parity (2-6 to 1-9). David Bray responded brilliantly with a fine point, but again Westmeath drew level when Ennis chipped over.

Lyons prevented Westmeath from taking the lead when he denied Gilsenan, but it was Ennis who continued to cause problems as he edged Westmeath ahead with seven minutes remaining. That was Westmeath's last score.

Unbelievably David Bray missed a 25-metre free and Queeney dropped a 20-metre free into Gry Connaughton's hands. Barry Regan and Sheridan were also short with long-range efforts as Meath looked set for a shock defeat until David Bray restored parity in the 69th minute.

Mark Ward was penalised for fouling Willie Coyne in front of the posts, but Bannon missed the simple free and it was left to Stephen Bray to capitalise on great work by Shane McAnarney to spare Meath's blushes.

Meath - D Lyons; N McKeigue, J Macken, E Harrington; C O'Connor, B Regan, S Kenny (0-1); N Crawford, M Ward; O Lewis, J Queeney (0-2, frees), A Moyles; D Bray (0-5, one free), J Sheridan (1-0), S Bray (0-4). Subs - N Mooney for Lewis 61 mins, S McAnarney for Kenny 62m.

Westmeath - G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Gaffey; D Harte, M Ennis (1-2), D Healy; D O'Donoghue, D Duffy; R Doolan, J Smyth, P Bannon (1-3, penalty goal, two frees); T Warburton, P Greville (0-2, one free), G Hoey. Subs - S Bracken for Duffy 34 mins, G Flanagan for Smyth half-time, W Murtagh for Doolan 49m, P Gilsenan (0-1) for Warburton 53m, W Coyne for Boyle 70m.

Referee - Jimmy White (Donegal).